National Republican., 1887-04-02
SIDE SADDLES.
An Argument to Show THAT Their Use
Ought TO he Abandoned.
THE Queen

Inc QueeU,l
The use Of side saddles Ia said to have
been commenced In England about the year
1888, in the reign OF Richard IL. Before
and up to that time ladies were accustomed
to ride on horseback in the same position
as men.
have never tried the experiment OF
riding on q slde.saddle, but II seems to me
that II ia at least doubtful whether any
Improvement was effected by the introduc.
tion Of these saddles into England, and
therefore | may, perhaps, be permitted to
bring under the consideration of your
readers the question as TO whether 1t might
not he advisable to abandon the use Of
them, and to adopt the mode Of riding on
horehack which was ia vogue previous to
the period referred to above.
A rider on side.ssddlc is Obliged to ad.
vance the left shoulder IN order to ''slt
square," aud this turning round OF the head
aud shoulders to the right while the legs
remain on the left side of the saddle, brings
| the body into spiral or twisted form. Spinal
complaints, arising probably from various
| causes, are very common among women,
and to remain for long time in the post
| tion alluded to may tend to increase the
| number Of cases which occur.
Severe injuries sometimes ensue from a
| rider being thrown above the crutch or
| pommel aud then coming down on the
upper part OF It, and occasionally from the
pommel being forced into the chest OF the
rider, II the horse fall on his near or left
side. An accident OF the latter sort hap
pened in Paris In Aprp, 1852, to q pro-
fessional circus rider, Mile. Emile Loisset.
A new horse which she had been try.
ing in the circus having refused To
leap an artificial fen,e or barrier
turned around to regain the stable but
finding the door Of iC closed, reared and
fell, causing the pommel of the saddle tC
enter the chest Of the rider. 1t is stated
that doctors were soon In attendance, bu
only to pronounce Mile. Loisset's cas-,
hopeless. The unfortunate young ladl
expired, after some thirty hours terrible
suffering"
The skirts OF the habits are often caugh
on the crutch or pommel, II riders ar
thrown, and the latter are then liable to b
dragged along the ground. There are al
ways many riders, also who are inexperi
enced or uDskillful, and who lean the great
er part OF their weight on the stirrup, thu
, pressing down the saddles on one side an,
! causing sore backs to the horses. | believ
that there Is large number OF horsswomel
who are convinced that some advantage
would result from the use OF side saddle
being discontinued, although they hesitit
to carry 1t into practice In consequence q
the dislike that 1t may be supposed man
OF them have to the idea OF appearing o
horseback in a style which would be re
garded ss being novel one IN the preser
day. This dislike would probably be d
y minished II 1t were to become more know
a to the general public through the mediuI
|, OF your columns that the wish referred I
: exists. For riding on a cross saddle tt
riding costume would, OF course, have I
e be altered. A dress rather resem oling tina
n worn by ladies at gymuasiums might
g the most suitable. Some practice at
1t riding school should also be gone throug
/. before yenturing on the road.